"[It is] long-term exposure we're worried about, a couple of weeks will make absolutely no difference is our advice," he said.

"It is important to understand that we're talking about a chemical exposure which takes years, if not decades, to have an impact.

"So the advice from [the] Health [Department] was that it's very unlikely that any residents have been exposed to levels of trichloroethylene which would have a negative impact on their health, and that we should take our time to talk to them and give them this advice."

Car industry degreaser to blame

Trichloroethylene is a degreaser and the contamination in the southern suburbs stems from the area's long association with the automotive industry.

The pollution danger is from a solvent which was used by Monroe Australia.

We're relocating people over a period of some months and that's how long it'll take to do that in a sensible way. It's not an evacuation.

Peter Dolan, EPA

Peter Dolan of the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) says action is being taken to make the area safe.

"The issue for us is working through how we can make those houses habitable again through remediation processes," he said.

"We're relocating people over a period of some months and that's how long it'll take to do that in a sensible way. It's not an evacuation."

Residents are unimpressed with the response by authorities.

"That would be normal for the Government. They don't tell you nothing until the last second," one resident said.

"There's talks of relocation [but] my mum is disabled and I don't have a car so relocating would be quite hard," said another.

The Environment Protection Authority says people wanting more information are able to contact Monroe Australia on 8374 5222 or the EPA site contamination hotline on 1800 729 175 from 8:00am-6:00pm weekdays (ACST).